When Vancouver singer-songwriter Daniel Lew joined the Taiwanese folk band HoNi at the Revue Stage on Saturday (November 8), it marked a turning point in both their careers. That’s because the third-generation Canadian musician and his Hakka counterparts from the East Asian island nation were engaged in a cross-Pacific collaboration on an inspirational new single, “Through the Line”.
Lew and HoNi performed this indie folk song in public for the first time at the Jade Music Fest, incorporating English, Mandarin, and Hakka verses. The spirit of the song became clear immediately when Lew sang the lyrics: “No matter where we are from / Through the Line we are one.”
HoNi members Yizy, Mei Hsiao, and Sheng Zhi also sang another verse, “Rhythm calls / We connect as one”, in English with Lew. In this way, they demonstrated that through music, they can still communicate even though they speak different languages. Similarly, Lew sang parts of this joyous song in Mandarin, even though that is not his mother tongue.
HoNi met Lew at previous Jade Music Fests in Taipei and Vancouver, and this year, they sharpened “Through the Line” over Zoom. Then, they rehearsed it in-person after HoNi arrived in Vancouver for the festival. Lew informed Pancouver that the song will be officially released on November 25.
Lew performed before HoNi at the Revue Stage, delivering a tight and polished set. He delighted the audience with some of his best-known songs from his 2024 album Destiny album, such as “Man in the Captain’s Seat” and a soaring version of “Let the Angels Shine”. Lew also surprised everyone there with a new acoustic rap number, “Free from the Margins”.
HoNi impresses the crowd
After Lew finished, HoNi opened its set with the upbeat “Expiry Date”. The singer, Yizy, charmed the crowd with her vocal range and breezy demeanor. She was ably supported by Zhi’s nifty cello playing and Hsiao’s lively guitar work and supporting vocals.
The trio followed this up several other well-crafted folk songs in the Hakka language. One of them, “Like a Mountain”, was co-written with Taiwanese school students. Another one, “Snow More”, was written after a trip to Banff.
At times during their set, I felt like I was attending a Taiwanese Hakka hoedown. HoNi translated its Hakka lyrics into English on a big screen, offering insights into Taiwanese Hakka values.
Lew returned for the encore with HoNi. And that’s when they unveiled their new collaboration.
“Through the Line” wasn’t the only cross-Pacific single unveiled at this year’s Jade Music Fest. On Saturday evening at the Waterfront Theatre, HoNi also collaborated with fellow Taiwanese Hakka musician Shu Chan Chiu and Canadian songwriters and performers Jacq Teh and Van Lefan on another new song, “Steady As You.” It will also be released on streaming platforms next month.
Teh and Lefan have performed at several Jade Music Fests. Each has previously written and performed their own bilingual songs with English and Mandarin lyrics.
The Society of We Are Canadians Too launched the Jade Music Fest in 2022 to celebrate Chinese-language music in Canada. The event fosters intergenerational connections, as well as cross-Pacific collaborations between musical artists in Canada and Asia.
“Our mission is to highlight the richness of diverse voices and expand the conversation around inclusion,” the Jade Music Fest states on its website.
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